June 17, 2026
ByMarygrace Taylor,
Health Writer
- Reviewed byNancy Oliveira, MS, RD, LDN, CDCES,
Contributor; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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Summary A prediabetes diet is an eating plan that may help prevent prediabetes from turning into full-blown diabetes. Many different foods can fit into this style of eating, including fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. While no foods are off-limits, prediabetes diets generally are low in sugary foods, refined carbohydrates, fast foods, fried foods, and alcohol. |
There’s no one prediabetes diet. But following healthy eating habits can help you lower your blood sugar and reduce your risk for developing full-blown diabetes
“It’s not about single foods or ‘super’ foods but the overall eating pattern. Focusing on the average of what you eat also allows for small treats and occasionally dining out,” says Nancy Oliveira, a dietitian, certified diabetes care and education specialist, and manager of the Nutrition and Wellness Service at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Here’s how you can update your menu to protect your health
What is prediabetes?
Prediabetes is a condition in which your blood glucose (sugar) is higher than it should be — but not high enough to count as diabetes. With prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (which accounts for 90% to 95% of diabetes cases in the U.S.), high blood glucose occurs when your body is unable to use insulin efficiently. Over time, your body becomes unable to produce enough insulin. Insulin is the hormone that helps your body move blood sugar from your bloodstream into your cells for energy.
An optimal fasting blood glucose level is usually 70 to 99 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). When you have prediabetes, your fasting blood glucose is 100 to 125 mg/dL. (A fasting blood sugar of 126 mg/dL or higher indicates diabetes.)
Prediabetes can turn into type 2 diabetes when it isn’t managed. That can lead to long-term problems like heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney disease
How can a prediabetes diet help lower blood sugar?
Lifestyle changes like eating a healthy diet and being more active are first-line treatments for prediabetes. Both of these things can bring your blood sugar levels closer to normal. That can slow or stop prediabetes from turning into diabetes
A healthy eating pattern and attention to portion size can also help you lose excess weight. That in turn allows your body to use insulin more efficiently, making it easier for your cells to take up glucose from your bloodstream — bringing down your blood glucose levels
It takes only a small amount of weight loss to reap the benefits. Studies show that losing around 7% of your body weight may be enough to keep diabetes at bay. For a 160-pound person, that’s a loss of around 11 pounds
That said, diet changes can still make a difference even if you don’t lose much weight. “We see patients who might shed only 2 to 3 pounds despite following a diabetes-friendly diet, but their blood sugar and blood cholesterol still improve,” says Oliveira
Best foods to eat for prediabetes
Many different foods can help control or lower your blood sugar when you have prediabetes. Consider adding these wholesome picks (in reasonable portion sizes) to your plate:
- non-starchy vegetables: asparagus, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, leafy greens, mushrooms, peppers, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini
- lean protein: beans, eggs, fish and shellfish, lean poultry, lean red meat (like sirloin or flank steak), lentils, reduced-fat cheese, and soy foods (like tofu and tempeh)
- fresh fruit: apples, apricots, bananas, berries, melon, oranges, peaches, and pears
- whole grains and starchy vegetables: whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, sweet potatoes, skin-on white potatoes, winter squash, peas, and corn
- low-fat dairy: low-fat milk, plain Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese
- healthy fats: olive oil and olives, avocado, nuts, and seeds
- water and unsweetened drinks.
Complex carbs vs. refined carbs: What’s the difference?
The type of carbohydrates you eat can have a big effect on your blood sugar. Choosing complex or minimally refined carbs can make it easier to manage your prediabetes
When you have a food or drink that contains carbohydrates, your body breaks the carbs down into glucose. This enters your bloodstream, raising your blood glucose levels. In response, your pancreas releases insulin to move the glucose into your cells, where it can be used for energy
Refined or simple carbs get broken down into glucose quickly. They cause a rapid spike in blood glucose levels, which can make it harder to control your prediabetes
Foods high in refined carbs include white bread, white pasta, white rice, soda, fruit juice, baked goods, candy, and other foods high in added sugars. “If you’re consuming these items daily and at most meals and not moving much, your pancreas will work overtime to make insulin, which can stress it so much it may eventually not work as well, leading to diabetes,” Oliveira explains
Complex carbohydrates help control your blood sugar. They contain fiber, so they’re broken down at a slower rate. As a result, they have less of an effect on your blood glucose. Foods high in complex carbs include whole grains such as whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, and quinoa, as well as beans and other legumes, and starchy vegetables (like corn, sweet potatoes, and peas).
Food and drinks to limit with prediabetes
Limiting foods and drinks with refined carbs and unhealthy fats, both of which can make your cells less responsive to insulin, can make it easier to manage your blood glucose. Over time, that may help you avoid diabetes
Try to have the following less often:
- sugary foods and snack foods such as cookies, candy, ice cream, sweetened cereal, packaged granola bars, chips, pretzels, and canned fruit with added sugar
- sugary drinks such as soda, fruit juice, sweet tea, sweetened coffee and tea drinks, sports drinks, and energy drinks
- refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white pasta, white rice, and white tortillas
- fast food and fried foods high in saturated fat
- excess alcohol.
Can you reverse prediabetes with diet and lifestyle changes?
Healthy eating patterns and regular exercise may be able to bring your fasting blood glucose back within normal range. That can effectively reverse your prediabetes
The key is choosing lifestyle changes you can stick with. That way you can maintain your well-earned benefits long-term. Prediabetes can return if you go back to your old eating and activity habits
Sample prediabetes diet plan and meal ideas
The best prediabetes eating plan is one that you enjoy and that fits with your lifestyle. Consider choosing from options like the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, or another plant-based or low-carbohydrate diet. These have all been shown to prevent prediabetes progression — and can be customized to work for you
You can find helpful meal planning guides and sample recipes at the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Food Hub. Many of these meals use the Diabetes Plate method, in which you divide your plate into three balanced sections:
- non-starchy vegetables on 50% of your plate
- complex carbohydrates on 25% of your plate
- lean protein on 25% of your plate.
Here are some examples of combinations that you might prepare under the Diabetes Plate method:
- turkey meatloaf with a mixed green salad and quinoa
- baked salmon with sauteed garlicky greens and a sweet potato
- tofu and bell pepper stir-fry with brown rice
- roasted skinless chicken with air-fried baby potatoes and cauliflower florets
- lentil soup with kale, diced tomatoes, and chopped sweet potato.
How to lower A1c and help prevent diabetes long-term
You can see the effect of lifestyle changes over time by looking at your hemoglobin A1c levels. This blood measurement reflects your average blood sugar over the past three months. Getting this number close to or within the normal range can reduce your diabetes risk
Resist the urge to make lots of big changes at once. Smaller shifts in your diet and activity level may be easier to maintain. And they can add up to healthier blood sugar long-term
Talk with your doctor to decide on a plan for monitoring your blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association recommends checking your A1c annually, but depending on your risk factors and progression of prediabetes, your doctor may advise rechecking it sooner
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